Leadership Communities of Practice (LCoP) Framework

Quality Early Childhood Education (ECE) is essential for building a productive and competitive nation in Ghana, as highlighted in the Education Strategic Plan 2018-2030. In response, the government introduced compulsory, free kindergarten education in 2007 and a play-based curriculum in 2018. However, the effective implementation of ECE is hindered by challenges such as fragmented coordination among stakeholders, insufficient teacher professional development, limited understanding of the play-based curriculum, and weak school leadership that excludes relevant stakeholders from school development plans. Consequently, only 2% of children achieve the desired literacy standards by the end of their early years.

To address these challenges, VVOB/ACSL, Sabre Education, Right to Play, and Afrikids, with support from Jacobs Foundation, launched an innovative intervention to strengthen play-based ECE through Leadership Communities of Practice (LCoP). These LCoPs bring together district education officers, school leaders, and community leaders to collaborate and improve ECE implementation. Participants engage in an inquiry-based learning cycle over six sessions, meeting bi-monthly to discuss ECE issues, prioritize one key challenge, and implement one feasible solution using available resources. A guiding framework supports this process, making the LCoP approach an effective model for enhancing ECE through targeted, collaborative action.